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2012 in review: From dress codes to murder, Franklin County made the news

By AMBER SOUTH, @ShipNewsGirl

Updated:
12/30/2012 10:26:41 PM EST

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YEAR IN REVIEW: Different opinions: Chambersburg Area Senior High School student Malik Harmonson listens as parents talk about their positions on the proposed dress code at the school board meeting on October 24, 2012.

Franklin County law enforcement and the local court system kept busy this year with a number of new and old cases, while the community expressed anger over major decisions by the Chambersburg Area School Board. These stories make up Public Opinion's top stories of 2012:

Shreffler ousted as Chambersburg boys basketball coach

In an article printed March 18, former Public Opinion sports writer Mike Miller wrote, "Maybe in a few months, when the boys basketball season has finally met its end, Chambersburg coach Shawn Shreffler can allow the glory of winning a district championship to set in."

But Chambersburg Area School Board did not let that happen. Despite leading the Chambersburg boys basketball team to the program's first District 3, Class AAAA championship since 2001 - and being named Public Opinion's Coach of the Year - the board chose not to renew Shreffler's coaching contract in April.

The 5-4 decision evoked outrage in the community, especially among those who played under Shreffler's leadership. President Norman Blowers' act of changing his vote because he did not follow the correct procedure caused people to cry foul.

Shreffler faced accusations that he used profanity in the locker room in the 2011-12 season. While only a few came forward during the public comment section of the board meeting April 25, many more expressed support for the coach that came on in the 1997-98 season.

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In response to the decision, 3,700 people joined a "We support Coach Shawn Shreffler" Facebook page in less than a week after he was ousted. That number was up to 4,620 on Friday. A petition at change.org had thousands of supporters too. "#TeamShreff" T-shirts became a popular item.

At a board meeting in May, with an audience that included about 30 people in "#TeamShreff" T-shirts, the board said it would not reopen discussion about Shreffler despite the backlash following his ousting.

The school board voted May 23 to appoint Franklin "Beau" Gantz as the new CASHS boys basketball coach.

Proposed CASD dress code splits community

Solid colors. Collared shirts. No logos. Dress pants.

When parents and students of Chambersburg Area School District learned about a dress code policy proposed by the school board in September, some thought it would help even the playing field and prevent bullying. But many more saw it as entirely too strict and too limiting to students' personal expression.

The public also complained that the school board acted in disregard of the opinions of their constituents.

On Nov. 14, the board voted 8-1 to pass a dress code that permitted jeans and crew necks and would take effect beginning August 2013.

While the revised plan garnered more supporters than its predecessors, parents continued to speak out about feeling left out of the decision.

Jerry Rowe not guilty in son's death

A scene of chaos in a Duncan Avenue front yard in October 2010 ended in one of joy, hugs and happy tears when Jerry Rowe was found not guilty in August in the shooting death of his 27-year-old son, Nathaniel Rowe.

"If this was not a classic case of self defense, I don't know what is," Jerry Rowe's attorney, David Breshchi, told a reporter after the verdict.

Jerry Rowe, Chambersburg, was accused of shooting and killing his son after a family argument, in which Nathaniel Rowe reportedly acted in violence against his girlfriend and parents while drunk and high on cocaine.

When police arrived on the scene the night of Oct. 16, 2010, they found several family members standing in the yard and Jerry Rowe on the porch holding a gun to his head in a threat of suicide, which he later said was due to his son's repeated threats of violence and a fear of retaliation.

Nathaniel Rowe was found lying near the side of the house with a gunshot wound; he was later pronounced dead at Chambersburg Hospital.

In his closing statements during the trial, Breshchi asked jurors to consider testimony from character witnesses who spoke of Jerry Rowe's dedication to his family and achievements in the U.S. Army and at work.

He asked the jury what it means that Jerry Rowe's family continues to stand by him when they lost Nathaniel.

Christopher Johnson guilty in WCO's death; sentenced to die

He admitted it himself: Christopher Johnson killed Wildlife Conservation Officer David Grove in a November 2010 gunfight in Adams County.

But "intention" was the big word throughout the seven-day trial in late September and early October. Did Johnson intend to kill Grove after Grove pulled him over on suspicion of deer poaching?

The jury took less than 30 minutes to say "yes," after entering the deliberation room Oct. 2, therefore convicting Johnson of first-degree murder.
This meant another decision by the jury: life in prison without the possibility of parole, or death.

The sentencing hearing was the only time Johnson took the stand, in a cross-examination with Adams County District Attorney Shawn Wagner. Wagner pointed out that Johnson had apologized for other crimes that landed him in jail previously, and twice told the state parole board that he regretted his actions, and would not offend again.

"Are you here to offer your apology to the Grove family because you intentionally shot and killed their son, Officer David Grove?" Wagner asked.

Johnson responded, "I am here to offer my apology to the Grove family because their man is not here because of my hand."

Kevin Cleeves charged in murder of estranged wife, two others

Months of custody disputes and disagreements over truth came to a head as shots rang out in a Quincy Township driveway as night fell on July 27.

The crime caught national attention as more details of the Cleeves' relationship came out. It was revealed that Brandi and Santucci feared for their safety in the weeks leading up to the incident.

In a statement printed in full on the front page of Public Opinion Nov. 19, the victims' families begged Kevin Cleeves to stick with his admission and plead guilty, and spare them from reliving the tragedy in trial.

"Cleeves - it is time to manup, take responsibility for your actions and plead guilty," the statement ended.

But that wouldn't be so; Kevin Cleeves pleaded not guilty to all nine charges against him: three counts of criminal homicide, kidnapping a minor, interference with custody of children, unlawful restraint of a minor, endangering the welfare of children and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.

As published in Public Opinion Nov. 29, Judge Shawn D. Meyers said the court will schedule a status conference to discuss the case in the near future.

Steffawn Spriggs charged in murder of Calvin Beam

"I'm gonna make a (expletive) stink before my birthday."

This is what police said murder suspect Steffawn Spriggs told the victim, 18-year-old Calvin Beam, and another witness as they walked down Lincoln Way East near Franklin Street Sept. 17. Soon after, Beam was dead from gunshot wounds.

But before Beam passed on at Hershey Medical Center, police found him behind Franklin Fire Company on West King Street and were able to get a description of the suspect. Witnesses added to the case as well.

On Sept. 19, a day before his 23rd birthday, Spriggs was picked up by U.S. Marshals and Pennsylvania State Parole agents for a parole violation. He was charged with first-degree murder of Beam just more than a week later.

In a preliminary hearing Dec. 19, a relative of Spriggs testified that he had wanted to shoot someone for his birthday; another claimed Spriggs admitted to shooting someone the night of the incident. Other witnesses on the stand spoke about statements and actions Spriggs made before and after the incident.

Spriggs will next be in court for mandatory arraignment Jan. 16.

Franklin County election results contrast state results

Given its Republican majority, the re-election of President Barack Obama did not please most of Franklin County.

In the county, Republican Mitt Romney achieved 43,072 votes to Obama's 18,910. Posts on Public Opinion's Facebook page show the anger of Franklin County people over this outcome, and a number of letters-to-the-editor expressed the same feeling.

A similar trend held among state races as well. In the county, Republican challenger Tom Smith had 41,568 votes against incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Bob Casey's 19,658. Across the state though, Casey had nine percent more votes.

In the attorney general race, Republican Tom Freed had 37,245 votes compared to challenger Kathleen Kane's 22,825. The state vote gave Kane a 14.5 point lead.

In a local race, Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Chambersburg, overcame his grassroots-campaign challenger Democrat Susan Spicka for the 89th district seat in the state House of Representatives. In Franklin County (the district runs into Cumberland County), Kauffman obtained 15,335 votes while Spicka achieved 8,997. Despite her loss, Spicka later called the campaign a learning experience.

Two charged in murder of Victor Hugo Campos-Olguin

There was much speculation over what was happening in Chambersburg on Oct. 23.

Police had blocked off Sollenberger Road in Hamilton Township as a police tactical team stood outside a residence. After that incident seemed to be over, a standoff took place at 238 E. McKinley St.

On Facebook, some people wondered if any of it was related to a murder the night before on East King Street.

It turned out they were right. Police took custody Oct. 23 of Jason C. Shauf, 38, when he surrendered at about 8:30 a.m. at his Sollenberger Road home, and Carl L. Varner, 58, after a standoff at his East McKinley Street home in the afternoon.

Police charged both men with first and second degree murder and other charges stemming from the murder of Victor Hugo Campos-Olguin, 29, who was found dead in a bathroom at 310 E. King St.

During mandatory arraignment Dec. 19, Judge Carol Van Horn declared Varner's case a capital murder case, making him eligible for the death penalty.
Five people were inside the house with Campos-Olguin when he was killed, according to police.

The suspects forced the occupants to the second floor of the residence while demanding money and personal property, according to police. Reportedly, one of the men - whom a witness identified as Shauf - fired into a bedroom ceiling and the other man shot Campos- Olguin.

Campos-Olguin, who was a server at Montezuma Mexican Restaurant on Lincoln Way East, was remembered by neighbors as a man who kept to himself and did not cause trouble. He was to work at Montezuma's Altoona location the day after he was murdered.

Jeffrey Miles pleads not guilty to second murder charge

More than two years after Jeffrey Miles led police to the skeletal remains of a 17-year-old Waynesboro girl whom police said he admitted to beating to death with a 2-by-4 in 1995, the State Line man pleaded not guilty to the related murder charge.

He waived arraignment in Franklin County Court on December 5 but entered the plea.

Miles is currently awaiting trail in the 2010 stabbing death of Kristy Hoke, 29, Hagerstown, Md. While investigating that case, police came across a notebook in which Miles wrote about the 1995 murder. After showing him a picture of the girl, Angie Daley, and asking that he help give closure to her family, Miles led police to a wooded area off a private farm lane at 3402 Buchanan Trail East in Washington Township.

A February DNA report showed a high probability match between the skeleton and a sample taken from Daley's mother, Sunday Gossert.

Franklin County Coroner Jeffrey Conner said the age of the remains was consistent with the number of years Daley has been missing. The skeleton matched the girl's biological description and age at the time she went missing, he said.

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Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com and 262-4771.